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Demonstrating just how sensitive such language can be in Florida, Gingrich pulled the ad after Rubio — who is remaining neutral in the presidential race — criticized it as “inaccurate and inflammatory.”

“The truth is that neither of these two men is anti-immigrant,” said Rubio, according to The Miami Herald. “Both are pro-legal immigration and both have positive messages that play well in the Hispanic community.”

While both candidates answered questions on a host of issues targeting Florida’s rapidly-growing Hispanic community, Romney stopped short of saying he was one of them.

Asked by Ramos whether he considered himself a Mexican-American — Romney’s father, George, was born in Mexico — Romney laughed off the question.

“I would love to be able to convince people of that, particularly in a Florida primary,” Romney said. Later, he added that people wouldn’t think “I was being honest with them if I said I was Mexican-American.”

On Wednesday, both Romney and Gingrich also delivered policy speeches aimed directly at the Cuban-American community in South Florida.

Gingrich had strong warnings for Fidel Castro, saying he would use all non-military means available to try to remove him from power. While President Barack Obama was encouraging revolution in Arab countries, he was ignoring Cuba, Gingrich claimed.

“I don’t think it’s ever occurred to a single person in the White House to look south and propose a Cuban spring,” Gingrich said. “If [former Egyptian leader Hosni] Mubarak was bad, Castro is worse.”

Mitt Romney also predicted serious consequences for the Cuban leader under his watch.

“If I’m fortunate enough to become the next president of the United States, it is my expectation that Fidel Castro will finally be taken off this planet,” Romney said to cheers from the hundreds gathered to hear his Miami speech.

Castro’s fate is an area of agreement for Romney and Gingrich. But the Cuban leader has lashed out at them and the rest of the Republican primary field.

In a column on a Cuban website, Castro accused the Republican candidates of “idiocy and ignorance” for calling for the overthrow of Cuba’s communist regime.

Readers' Comments (41)

I don't think Mitt is anti immigrant...he is just anti old grandmas and grandpas who have been here illegally a long time. He doesn't want to make an exception so they can stay with their American Citizen children and grandchildren. If he becomes president the road to Mexico will look like the "Trail of Tears".He would make that other stinkin' Democrat, Andrew Jackson, real proud.

Nutty Newt announced today in Florida that he wants to put a permanent U.S. colony on the Moon.

Hmmmm........ I wonder where the trillions of dollars in cost to do THAT would come from??? You can bet the middle and low income Americans would foot the bill for it, and NOT the wealthy.

But maybe it's not such a bad idea. Then we can ship all of our radical, right-wing extremist nut-jobs there and Newt can go be there leader......that would probably be about the only place where he could win an election.

Nutty Newt announced today in Florida that he wants to put a permanent U.S. colony on the Moon.

Hmmmm........ I wonder where the trillions of dollars in cost to do THAT would come from??? You can bet the middle and low income Americans would foot the bill for it, and NOT the wealthy.

But maybe it's not such a bad idea. Then we can ship all of our radical, right-wing extremist nut-jobs there and Newt can go be there leader......that would probably be about the only place where he could win an

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Well, we may not have Newt to kick around too much longer.

The GOP Elite are starting to bring out the big guns

Ant-Newt stuff is ALL over Drudge

National Review is running an article caliming that Newt was disrespectful to Reagan.

Now, Newt may be a narcissistic sociopath but............I kinda like that he's making the GOP PoohBahs nervous.

Upon signing the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Lyndon Johnson is said to have told aide Bill Moyers, "I think we have just delivered the South to the Republican Party for a long time to come."As a result it was advantage Republicans and it shows in Presidential elections. People forget how dominant democrats were.

President Johnson was so correct.

The Confederacy states plus Kentucky will never agree to Dream Act or any sort of immigration reform. As a result of President Johnson monorities became loyal democrats. Year after year... election after election. Only now when minorities are increasing the tide is turning against Republicans.

It is less to do with anybody running in this election and all to do with how Dems and the GOP switched sides 40 years ago. JFK and Johnson knew this 50 years ago. Texas will be like Florida in 2024 or even earlier.. scary thought for a Republican.

Right on!! I actually AM rooting for Nutty Newt right now, because I know how it's making the GOP establishment wring their hands and gnash their teeth in abject terror at the thought of Nutty Newt being their nominee - HA! HA!

President Bush, barely won 2 elections with around 40% of the vote. He did so by being respectful toward Hispanics. He knew that the GOP needed Hispanics in order to survive. What's wrong with having a strong Catholic hard working group on your side?

Fast forward 12 years and the GOP will be lucky to get 20% of the Hispanic vote.

The bad news get's worse for the GOP. Based on Demographics alone, we know have Texas where whites will be a minority soon. Nearly every southern state, whites will be in the minority.

What does the GOP do? Attack Hispanics, no wonder President Obama in Arizona today.

Not that long ago George Bush was within single digits of John Kerry in support among Hispanics. But somewhere between 2004 and 2008 the Republican Party went hard-line on illegal immigration, and started talking nonsense like thousands of miles border fences. The end result? Barack Obama captured 67% of the Hispanic/Latino vote.

If this trend continues and the turnout among Hispanics grows it will be increasingly difficult for a Republican to win the presidency. That's just the hard, cold reality of the numbers.

Fast forward 12 years and the GOP will be lucky to get 20% of the Hispanic vote.

The bad news get's worse for the GOP. Based on Demographics alone, we know have Texas where whites will be a minority soon.

Technically speaking, non-Hispanic whites are already in the minority in Texas, with only 45.3% of the population according to the last census.

The GOP got 33% of the Hispanic/Latino vote last go round. The real worry is if those people ever start voting in the same numbers as Whites or Blacks. Hispanics have had an under 50% turnout rate for decades.

"I don't think Mitt is anti immigrant...he is just anti old grandmas and grandpas who have been here illegally a long time. He doesn't want to make an exception so they can stay with their American Citizen children and grandchildren. If he becomes president the road to Mexico will look like the "Trail of Tears".He would make that other stinkin' Democrat, Andrew Jackson, real proud."

There you go again. You're starting to sound like Newt. I don't think people heads can take much more of the crazy.

Sir,

Crazy does no one good in this Country.

How does self-deportation, which Newt supported until he didn't support it, sound like the Trail of Tears? You need to apologize to every American Indian descendant of those people that really suffered. Driving back to Mexico because you can't find work because the legal hispanics need it more doesn't sound like the Trail of Tears it sounds like what 8% of Americans are suffering under the Obama administration right now.

"I don't think Mitt is anti immigrant...he is just anti old grandmas and grandpas who have been here illegally a long time. He doesn't want to make an exception so they can stay with their American Citizen children and grandchildren. If he becomes president the road to Mexico will look like the "Trail of Tears".He would make that other stinkin' Democrat, Andrew Jackson, real proud."

There you go again. You're starting to sound like Newt. I don't think people heads can take much more of the crazy.

Sir,

Crazy does no one good in this Country.

How does self-deportation, which Newt supported until he didn't support it, sound like the Trail of Tears? You need to apologize to every American Indian descendant of those people that really suffered. Driving back to Mexico because you can't find work because the legal hispanics need it more doesn't sound like the Trail of Tears it sounds like what 8% of Americans are suffering under the Obama administration right now.